SVP Outreach Committee

From
Date
Reply-To
A paleoNet posting from SVP.  N. Macleod


----------

I have received such a terrific response to my note about the Outreach
Committee of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology that I've been fully
occupied just working on the e- and snail-mailing lists! Thanks to
everyone who expressed interest.

Several people have asked to have the SVP statement "Responsibilities of
Professional Vertebrate Paleontologists to the Amateur Community" posted.
I am happy to do so. This statement was drafted by members of the
committee under the chairmanship of Richard Stucky. It was approved by
unanimous vote of the SVP Executive Committee on 3 June 1994 and by
unanimous vote of the SVP members at the annual general business meeting
in Seattle in October.

        Responsibilities of Professional Vertebrate Paleontologists
                        to the Amateur Community
          Outreach Committee, Society of Vertebrate Paleontology

The fundamental goals of the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology are to
provide new knowledge on the history of fossil vertebrates and to foster
the scientific, educational, and personal appreciation of fossil
vertebrates by amateur, student, and professional paleontologists and the
general public.

The ultimate aim of the Society is to increase the enjoyment,
appreciation, knowledge, and understanding of fossil vertebrates as the
fundamental evidence of past vertebrate life on our planet.

In collecting and conserving fossil vertebrates, the professional
community assumes a curatorial as well as an educational trust.

* The professional community recognizes that it must provide training,
field, and laboratory experiences to students, educational institutions,
the amateur community, and the general public.

* The professional community shall offer its expertise to the
educational, public, and amateur communities. The professional community
recognizes that members must communicate their needs and principles in
research and education.

* The professional community shall recognize the valued contributions of
amateurs to research and education. The professional community recognizes
the status of responsible amateurs as colleagues, and will acknowledge
and respect their contributions to paleontology.

*Institutions with collections held in public trust will guarantee that
specimens be kept in the public trust and will be made accessible for
legitimate scientific and educational purposes.


More information will follow very soon.

Sally Shelton, SVP Outreach Chair
Director, Collections Care and Conservation
San Diego Natural History Museum



----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Norman MacLeod
Senior Research Fellow
N.MacLeod@nhm.ac.uk (Internet)
N.MacLeod@uk.ac.nhm (Janet)

Address: Dept. of Palaeontology, The Natural History Museum,
                     Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD

Office Phone: 071-938-9006
Dept. FAX:  071-938-9277
----------------------------------------------------------------------------